Name: The Political History of Smack & Crack + Q&A
Start: 2024-09-18T18:00:00+01:00
End: 2024-09-18T19:30:00+01:00
Location: Oldham Library

The Political History of Smack & Crack + Q&A

Portraits of Recovery is the UK’s only visual arts charity inspiring and supporting people affected by and in recovery from substance use (Recoverists).As the UK’s only contemporary visual arts organisation working exclusively in this field, we collaborate with leading contemporary artists, individuals in recovery, and recovery communities to showcase the human face of the recovery journey. Our mission is to break down barriers, promote inclusion, and highlight that addiction is a health, social, and cultural issue.Founded in 2011 by Director Mark Prest, who has his own lived experience with recovery, Portraits of Recovery creates new conversations about addiction and recovery through the lens of contemporary art. We empower those in recovery to become artists and creators, fostering their cultural participation, demystifying contemporary art, and amplifying the voices of an often marginalised community.

Portraits of Recovery

Join us for – A twisted love story between two lifelong addicts.

Oldham Library

REHEARSED READING + Post-Performance Q&amp;A.Written by <a href="https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=fa70f7cd442e3964&amp;sca_upv=1&amp;rlz=1C5CHFA_enVN1068VN1068&amp;q=Ed+Edwards&amp;stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAONgVuLVT9c3NEwzMyuuNE6qesRowS3w8sc9YSn9SWtOXmPU5OIKzsgvd80rySypFJLmYoOyBKX4uVB18ixi5XJNUXBNKU8sSikGAHWxQZ9ZAAAA&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjivcqIjs6HAxUVZ0EAHYt3N4wQzIcDKAB6BAgeEAE" title="https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=fa70f7cd442e3964&amp;sca_upv=1&amp;rlz=1C5CHFA_enVN1068VN1068&amp;q=Ed+Edwards&amp;stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAONgVuLVT9c3NEwzMyuuNE6qesRowS3w8sc9YSn9SWtOXmPU5OIKzsgvd80rySypFJLmYoOyBKX4uVB18ixi5XJNUXBNKU8sSikGAHWxQZ9ZAAAA&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjivcqIjs6HAxUVZ0EAHYt3N4wQzIcDKAB6BAgeEAE" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Ed Edwards</a>.Join us for – A twisted love story between two lifelong addicts.BOOM! Neil feels a violent leap of ecstasy in his chest. The history of Manchester jumps off its axis. The history of England jumps off its axis. 2 am, 8th July 1981, 20 cities across England burn.”Neil and Mandy’s paths cross as kids on the night of the Manchester uprising in 1981. Little do they know how this event will shape their future lives.They share some laughs, an occasional bed and finally their love as they seek to maintain a fragile recovery against the addiction that blights their lives and the drug epidemic that smashes the inner-city communities at the height of Thatcherism.Tracing their lives from the epicentre of the Moss Side riots in 1981 to their present-day survival on the streets of Manchester, Mandy and Neil chronicle the fallout for communities crushed by the heroin epidemic at the height of Thatcherism.Winner of Summerhall’s Lustrum Award 2018 and Theatre503’s 2017 Play Writing Award Finalist, The Political History of Smack and Crack is an angry, funny love song to a lost generation. Inspired by the playwright’s own experience in jail and rehab, it is shot through with home truths about the road to recovery.★★★★ “It moves at a fast pace… All credit to [Eve] Steele and [William] Fox… They deliver their lines and never miss a beat… A marriage of good writing and excellent delivery… Strongly recommended.” – <a href="https://northwestend.co.uk/index.php/professional-reviews/manchester/4988-the-political-history-of-smack-and-crack-home" title="https://northwestend.co.uk/index.php/professional-reviews/manchester/4988-the-political-history-of-smack-and-crack-home" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">North West End</a>★★★★ “Well worth 70 minutes of your time.” – <a href="https://quayslife.com/reviews/the-political-history-of-smack-and-crack/" title="https://quayslife.com/reviews/the-political-history-of-smack-and-crack/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Quays Life</a>★★★★★ “Exceptional… Riotously entertaining and deeply moving.” – The Stage★★★★★ “The simplicity and passion of the storytelling left me inspired; it relied on nothing more than a well-written script, a good heart and beautiful performances.” – The 730 Review★★★★ “Not since Trainspotting has addiction been so entertaining.” – Lyn Gardner, Independent★★★★ “As a love story it’s unexpectedly tender; as a social history its shockingly dark; as a piece of theatre, it’s excellent.” – The Scotsman★★★★ “It damningly shows how the personal can be fatally political.” – The GuardianEd Edwards is a writer who has published five novels, a children’s book and worked for various continuing TV dramas. His plays include England &amp; Son (Edinburgh Fringe &amp; Manchester HOME, 2023) and The Political History of Smack and Crack (Edinburgh Fringe &amp; Soho Theatre, 2018). He has had several original plays broadcast on Radio 4 as well as short films on Channel 4 and BBC2. He is co-artistic director of Most Wanted Theatre, which he runs along with Eve Steele. <h3>A Recoverist Month event that, through the arts, changes the conversation on substance use and recovery.</h3> <h3>Recoverist = Recovery + Activist</h3> Recoverist Month September 2024 is an initiative led by <a href="https://portraitsofrecovery.org.uk/" title="https://portraitsofrecovery.org.uk/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Portraits of Recovery</a>Portraits of Recovery is a pioneering, Manchester-based, visual arts charity.

Recoverist Culture Fix: Re/Assemble at the People's History Museum

The Whitworth

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The Political History of Smack & Crack + Q&A

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The Political History of Smack & Crack + Q&A

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